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Welland builder dies

There are probably more than 1,000 families who have a roof over their heads, thanks to Laurent Viger.

That’s approximately the number of homes Mr. Viger built during a career that spanned close to 60 years, said his son Marc Viger.

Mr. Viger, the founder of Laurent Viger Construction., died Friday at the Welland hospital with his family at his side. He was 82 years old.

Marc said his father started building homes in Welland on a “very small scale.”

“He was a carpenter by trade, and it started out with single-family homes here and there and then a few semi-detached homes, and then it was multiple units — small apartment blocks.”

Almost all of those homes were in Welland, Marc added.

“He was definitely a believer in Welland. This was his home. This was his community and this is where he wanted to do his work.”

While building homes throughout the city, Mr. Viger also worked to make Welland a better place to live.

“He was with Club Richelieu for 25 years I think. He was a past president of the club, and was one of the founding members of Foyer Richelieu and Residence Richelieu,” Marc said. “He had a lot of friends through the club.”

Mr. Viger was also a great supporter of Welland’s francophone community, working with the city’s francophone business association called Les Gens D’Affairs to promote the community he moved to while still a teenager.

“What brought him to Welland at a very young age was the old cotton mill,” Marc said. “He was still in his teenage years when he was working there.”

Mr. Viger left behind his hometown of Dosquet, a tiny village near Quebec City, in 1944 for a job at Empire Cotton Mill.

Although Mr. Viger retired decades ago, leaving the company he started to his children, son Marc and daughter Chantal, to run, Marc said his father remained interested in the business.

“He was certainly watching over us, making sure he was satisfied with our direction,” Marc said.

“We were very fortunate. We got along extremely well. It’s a very close family.”

Mr. Viger is survived by six siblings, his children Marc, Chantal, Joanne Gravel and Nathalie Guillemette, his eight grandchildren, and his companion Louise Venne. He was predeceased by wife Rita 10 years ago.

Visitation is being held today from 7-9 p.m., and on Wednesday from 2-4 p.m., and from 7-9 p.m. A vigil will be held for Mr. Viger at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Funeral services will be held at Eglise Sacre Coeur, Thursday at 10 a.m.

The family is asking that donations be made in Mr. Viger’s memory to Foyer Richelieu or the Canadian Cancer Society.